Gensokyo Railway Series 8 (Kiyoshi the Small Engine)
by Pergold
Summary: Kiyoshi is a small tank engine who mostly shunts trucks, but sometimes pulls trains. Even though he can be a bit cheeky, he can show to be a dependable engine. Even if there's something wrong with the higher ups.
1. Prologue

(Thanks to those who have reviewed my series so far! Thanks. -Author's Note)

The courtroom was filled with many youkai, some of there the railway executives, Nitori was there, so was Kenta's crew and the yardmaster. Yukari Yakumo was on trial, the judge was Eiki Shiki, yamaxandu.

The case had lasted forever, the railway executives argued that her position in company was important and that she helped the Kappas get materials such as iron ore for steel making from the outside world. Another representative said that Yukari has cost the railway more money on repairs and was behind a terrorist attack in the outside world. The yama tried to weight the the two arguments but her own personal opinion of Yukari slowly began to make its way forward. Eiki didn't like Yukari because of her mysteriousness and her morality being in a gray area, Eiki liked things to be black and white. But she also knew that if she sent Yukari to hell or out of earth, that would tip the balance of power in Gensokyo, it would cause the biggest youkai incident ever, one that Reimu and Marisa couldn't solve.

That was when Eirin came in.

"I have looked at the Yakumo's recent history." Eirin began to talk.

"And I've analyzed her behavior and I've come to a conclusion to what she needs."

"And what would that be?" said Eiki.

"A full psychoanalysis, Yukari needs therapy." Eirin said.

"So what would that do? She'll easily sneak out of this 'therapy' thing with her gaps." Eiki rebutted.

"Sending her to hell would only make things worse in Gensokyo, not only will trains be delayed and the railway not surviving intact. But the whole of Gensokyo will be in upheaval. Yukari is one of _the_ most powerful youkai around. Her absence will only leave a power struggle behind for any youkai who would want to be in her place."

"That's what I thought." Eiki said, exhausted.

Eiki turned to the whole court and announced her decision.

"I sentence Yukari Yakumo to intensive..."

"Therapy." reminded Eirin.

"Intensive 'therapy' care, she is to be with Eirin until the issue is resolved." Eiki finished.

"Court dismissed."


	2. Kiyoshi's Promise

As the weather got warmer, people would go out and take trains to go to other places in Gensokyo. A beach was constructed on the Sanzu River so the railway could have more people taking trains. Ichihiro and Kiyoshi would take these trains to the new beach. Ichihiro was busy on a coastal run when he came across Kiyoshi shunting by the harbor.

"I wish I could take people to the riverside." said Kiyoshi.

Ichihiro assessed the situation and saw that Kiyoshi wanted to do something else other than shunt trucks.

"I'll be busy in the evening, you want to take my next train instead?" asked Ichihiro.

"Oh yes. Thank you." said Kiyoshi.

The train Ichihiro gave to Kiyoshi was a charter train for the youkai that practiced at the Myouren Temple. Even though they were training to become Buddhist monks, they acted like children most of the time.

Kiyoshi took the train and brought them to the beach. By the time they were done, gray clouds began to form.

"I looks like its going to rain." said Byakuren Hijiri.

"I think I can manage." Kiyoshi replied.

When Kiyoshi was passing by the harbor. Shiro shouted out to him.

"Be careful Kiyoshi! There's a storm coming!"

"I'll be careful." Kiyoshi shouted back.

The rain pelted Kiyoshi's cab as they going along the return ride home. Kiyoshi couldn't see very far ahead. But he battled forward and onward to the big station. A small stream that went beside the track had flooded and made a pool of water, shallow enough for the bigger engines to go through it, but deep enough for smaller engines to have trouble. Kiyoshi was wadding his way through when he felt something cold and wet.

"Your fire's gone out." said his driver.

"But how are we going to get through?" said Kiyoshi.

"I promised that I'd take this train home."

The driver checked if the guard had anything to burn. Then the driver had an idea.

"Can I take up some of these floorboards?" asked the driver.

"No, I just swept the floor."

The driver then explained that a rescue engine wouldn't come for a while and the guard finally gave in.

Some of the floorboards were used to build up Kiyoshi's fire again, whilst some were used to keep water out by forming a wall. The water made it hard for Kiyoshi to steam well, but he pressed on. He soon made it to the station, he was out of puff.

"You did it!" his driver congratulated him.

Even the Scarlet Controller was impressed with him.

"I heard about your great effort to battle the elements." she said.

"Your are a really fruitful engine."


	3. Kiyoshi Takes the Plunge

Kiyoshi was at the Sanzu harbor talking to Komachi about the time he pulled a train through a strong rain storm.

"I was losing steam, but I fought on. Water's nothing to an engine with determination."

"Wow Kiyoshi, your really brave." said Komachi.

That was when Kenta came by.

"The yama's going to yell at you again for being lazy." said Kenta.

Komachi ran off to run her ferrying boat.

"And you should be shunting my next train. Also, that water and determination thing is silly."

Kiyoshi ran off to fetch Kenta's trucks. Wishing that he would get stuck in a hole somewhere and be put behind a wall.

The next day, Kiyoshi looked at a siding with a board saying "Danger, engines must not pass this board!". Ichihiro was helping out Kiyoshi at the time and so he asked what danger meant.

"I don't know. Probably means not to go there." said Ichihiro.

The board warned engines because of the foundation of the siding had sunk, making the track lead into the river. Kiyoshi wanted to spite the sign, so when he picked up some trucks to take to the harbor. He bumped them about so they pushed him every time they stop.

When Kiyoshi got to the board, he bumped the trucks so hard that when the trucks bumped back they knocked his crew off his footplate and Kiyoshi went forward. Kiyoshi saw that he going to end up in the water.

"Stop! Stop!" he cried.

But it was no use, he plunged into water. The Scarlet Controller rode on Komachi's boat.

"Your a very naughty engine. There's a reason why it says 'danger'!" she said.

"Sorry sir." said Kiyoshi, his voice partially muffled by the water.

"Can you get me out sir?"

"No we cannot. We can only do it when the tide is higher." said the Scarlet Controller.

"Hopefully that can teach you some obedience." she finished

It was night when cranes brought him out of the river and back onto the rails. He was cold, wet, and dirty. The next morning Kiyoshi was on a flatbed and Kenta was coupled up to him.

"Well, well, well. Did you like the water?" chuckled Kenta.

"No." said Kiyoshi, bitterly.

"I'm surprised! You need more determination. 'water is nothing to an engine with determination'." Kenta said.

"Maybe next time perhaps?"

Kiyoshi was quite determined to make sure that there won't be a 'next time'.


	4. Ahiru Takes Charge

Kiyoshi worked hard in whatever yards he needed to work in, but because of Kiyoshi's signal incident and how he had recently went for a 'swim'. They all called him names.

"Manuke!" said Hiroto.

"Noroma!" put in Kenta.

"Baka!" finished Akemi.

"At least I don't have a girl's name." said Kiyoshi one day.

"He's right." replied Hiroto.

"Shut up! Your such a hekoki." Akemi said.

Because of the increased traffic, the work in the yard had become to much for Kiyoshi. One day, after shunting the express into place, the Scarlet Controller observed him.

"You do look tired Kiyoshi." she said.

"Yes sir, I really am."

"Cheer up Kiyoshi, I heard from Nitori that we'll be getting a new engine to help you."

"Wow! Thank you sir." said Kiyoshi.

The new engine came in, he was a JGR Class 2120 and had a coat of green paint.

"So, your the new engine. What's your name." asked the Scarlet Controller.

"Montagyu, sir. But I prefer to be called Ahiru." said the engine.

"Ahiru...Right, you to work with Kiyoshi, he's the small engine with yellow paintwork." she said.

Ahiru went off to find Kiyoshi, leaving the Scarlet Controller to her own thoughts.

"I'm not sure how to feel about engines being named after birds." she thought to herself.

Kiyoshi showed Ahiru to the station yard, telling him about the other engines. Ahiru told him that he from what's called JR West. Ahiru was from the outside world and knew some things that some people in Gensokyo wouldn't know.

But when Ahiru got the bigger engine's coaches, they all bossed him around.

"Do they always do that?" asked Ahiru.

"Yes. It's because we're smaller and they're more important." Kiyoshi responded.

"Don't you want to get back at them? You know, we're important too." Ahiru said, this caught Kiyoshi's interest.

The two discussed a plan, but while they waited. Hiroto, Kenta, and Akemi made quacking noises and blew steam at them.

"This really grinds my wheels." said Ahiru.

"On JR West, we never get this kind of reception."

The Scarlet Controller was having a friendly meeting with Nitori in one of buildings by the shed that all the engines used. When suddenly, loud noises started coming from the shed.

"What's that all about?" asked Nitori.

"Trouble. I got to see about this." said the Scarlet Controller.

Kiyoshi and Ahiru were blocking the turntable and by extension, the sheds from the other engines. The bigger engines we're furious and were blowing their whistles and yelling.

The Scarlet Controller summoned as much energy as she could and...

"SILENCE!" she screamed at the top of her loli lungs.

All the engines stopped and looked at her.

"What is going on here?!" She asked.

"As a JR Western engine sir." Ahiru began.

"We only do work without much fuss. But I only take orders from my controller, not from these bigger engines."

"Kiyoshi, Ahiru. I'm pleased with your work. But this disturbance is quite superfluous and don't like it." the Scarlet Controller turned to the other engines.

"As for you three, you should now better not to boss others around. I'm in charge and that is that. Ahiru is right about taking order from me and me alone." she said.

The engines dispersed, Kiyoshi was sent to help Ichihiro's branch line while Ahiru was left in the yards, but he'd manage.


	5. A Scarf for Kiyoshi

A cheeky fairy had made the morning cold for everyone in Gensokyo, whilst Reimu Hakurei, a shrine maiden, went out to sort the matter. Ichihiro and Kiyoshi were in the shed.

"Where's our firelighter?" asked Kiyoshi.

"Hm, seems a bit early for her Kiyoshi." answered Ichihiro.

"Why not think of warm things to keep us cozy."

"Like sunshine or former hell?" Ichihiro continued.

"Or like scarves or coats." Kiyoshi chimed in.

"What you need is a scarf around your funnel." said Ichihiro.

When the firelighter did come, the thought of a scarf never left Kiyoshi's head. He wanted one on his funnel so badly.

Meanwhile, The Scarlet Controller was having a hot meal for breakfast and was planning on taking the mansion's whole staff on a trip.

Kiyoshi was hard at work, shunting trucks. He told Kenta about wearing scarves.

"Engines don't need scarves, Kiyoshi. We have fireboxes, so we have no need for winter apparel." Kenta said.

"That's because you have square wheels and look like a giant green caterpillar." Kiyoshi insulted him.

Kiyoshi ran off to fetch his next train, he crept quietly across the yard. Some porters were pulling a trolley of luggage across the yard, but Kiyoshi didn't see it until it was too late. He crashed into the trolley, sending clothes and other objects flying all over the place. Jars of a viscous red liquid went all over the passengers and Kiyoshi's smokebox.

The Scarlet Controller and her staff were covered in the red liquid. She was furious.

"Kiyoshi!" She yelled.

Her spare mob cap had landed on one of Kiyoshi's buffers and she grabbed it off.

"Look what you did Kiyoshi! You'll...The railway will have to pay for the other passengers' ruined clothes. You also wasted my special jam!"

Kiyoshi went away, ashamed. He went off to be washed, when Akemi noticed that a kimono had wrapped itself around Kiyoshi's funnel.

"Is that the scarf you were talking about all day?" joked Akemi.

Before Kiyoshi could say anything, Akemi went to tell Kenta about what had happened. Kenta came back from pulling around the Scarlet Devil Mansion's private rail tour, he felt bad for Kiyoshi but then wanted to tell him a small joke.

"The weather is meant to be warmer, so engines won't need scarves." he said.

"I know that engines don't need scarves. They need warm boilers instead." said Kiyoshi.


	6. Epilogue

Yukari sat in a room at Eientei. It has been a couple weeks since she'd been to court. Yukari could leave at any time, she could hop into one of her gaps and go away. But she needed the help more. She had taken Ran and Chen's departure really hard. A human, someone who used to live in the outside world would come and talk to her. She felt somewhat depressed, Reimu would come and visit.

One day, Yukari was sitting, alone and looking out the window, when a knock came at the door.

"Come in." she said, miserably.

"Hi Yukari-sama." it was Ran.

Yukari turned around and she nearly cried.

"I'm sorry!" she said, fighting whatever tears she may have had.

"Sorry for hurting you and Chen and..."

"and what?" asked Ran.

"and Kenta." Yukari said under her breath.

"I'm sorry for what I did. I just want you to come back!" Now she was crying.

"Yukari-sama, you do know we only left because you acting unsafe to me and more importantly, Chen."

"I'm back because we heard about what happened from Eiki. She said you were with Eirin."

"Will you stay?"

"I'm your shikigami." reminded Ran.

"Just so long you won't harm me, Chen, or any of those artifical youkai."

Yukari swallowed down her opinions on mechanical youkai for once and hugged Ran.

"What's it like staying where you were on the outside?"

"Britain is a weird place, and Sodor's even weirder. Makes me glad to be back in Gensokyo."

The two youkai stayed and talked and had let bygones be bygones. As a consequence of the trial, Yukari's assets in the railway company were frozen and she won't get any dividends for a while. Ran was just glad the whole episode was over and wanted things to go back to normal. Things would go back to normal, once Yukari's stay at Eientei was over of course.


End file.
